Leadership Resources
Motivation
Teambuilding
Why Do Team Building Activities?
It is the process that uses activities requiring members to work together to discover shared interests and lays the groundwork for new and deeper friendships. When done effectively, team building highlights each person's differences in values, personalities, and skills while simultaneously building the membership into a cohesive, trusting and mutually supportive group. Building strong interpersonal ties increase member satisfaction and group productivity. Team building should not be used in an attempt to make everyone the same.
Whatever exercise you select for your organization, it is important to emphasize both the group and individual benefits gained through team building. Never force a member to participate. Not all people are comfortable participating in an activity that requires self-disclosure; they will when they feel it is time.
Methods of Team Building
There are many different methods of team building, each designed to produce differing results. In order to find the appropriate exercise for your organization, please read through the entire list at the end of this section, paying close attention to the expected results. If this is the first time your organization will be participating in a team building process, you might find it better to pick one of the less risky exercises. You can always choose a riskier exercise after you have been working together for a while and are more comfortable as a group.
When to Use Team Building Exercises
Although team building is essential to newly formed groups or an organization with a large number of new members, there are other times it can be effective as well. You might find it helpful to use team-building techniques when:
- members seem bored or irritable
- members appear to be going off in different direction or drifting away from the group
- there is a great deal of conflict of "infighting"
- members have been apart for a while (vacations, breaks, etc.)
- you want to take a break from the normal routine or boost team spirit